1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image data storage/display apparatus and method for a television receiver having a viewer's screen display function.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a television receiver (TV) receives a multichannel radio-frequency (RF) signal transmitted from a broadcasting station, and performs video/audio signal processing to output an image signal to a cathode ray tube (CRT) and to output an audio signal to a loudspeaker. In a TV having a still mode function, input video signals are sequentially stored in a memory of a predetermined size, and if a still mode is set, the stored video signal is repeatedly outputted to display a still image on the CRT screen.
As illustrated in FIG. 1, a TV having a still mode function includes a video memory 104 for storing video signals Vp inputted from the broadcasting station or outside, a switch 101 for selecting the video signal Vp in a normal mode and selecting an output signal Vm of the video memory 104 in a still mode, a video processing section 102 for processing an output signal Vs of the switch 101 and outputting the processed video signal to a CRT 103, an audio processing section 107 for processing an audio signal Ap inputted from the broadcasting station or outside and outputting the processed audio signal Ap to a loudspeaker 108, and a microcomputer 106 for discriminating whether the present mode is a normal mode or a still mode by checking an output signal from a key input section 105, and outputting a control signal Cs to the switch 101 according to the result of discrimination. The microcomputer 106 also outputs a control signal Cv for controlling contrast, sharpness, tint, etc. of the CRT 103 to the video processing section 102; a control signal Cm for reading/writing image data from/in the video memory 104; and a control signal Ca for controlling volume to the audio processing section 107.
The video processing section 102 may comprise a video matrix circuit.
In FIG. 1, the reference numberal 109 denoted a video input terminal through which a video signal from the broadcasting station or from external audio-video appliances such as video cassette recorders and video cameras, and the reference number 110 denotes an audio input terminal.
The operation of the conventional TV as constituted above will now be explained.
The microcomputer 106 checks an output signal of the key input section 105 to discriminate whether the current mode is a normal mode or a still mode.
If the microcomputer 106 discriminates that the current mode is the normal mode, it outputs the control signal Cs to the switch 101, and the switch 101 connects the video input terminal 109 to the video processing section 102. The video processing section 102 processes the video signal Vp inputted from the video input terminal 109 to display the video signal on the screen of the CRT 103. At this time, the contrast, sharpness, or tint of the CRT 103 is controlled according to the control signal Cv from the microcomputer 106.
While displaying the video signal Vp inputted from the video input terminal 109 on the screen of the CRT 103 as described above, the video memory 104 sequentially stores therein the video signal Vp according to the control signal Cm from the microcomputer 106.
Meanwhile, the audio signal Ap inputted through the audio input terminal 110, which corresponds to the video signal displayed on the screen of the CRT 103, is processed by the audio processing section 107, and outputted to the loudspeaker 108. At this time, the volume is controlled according to the control signal Ca from the microcomputer 106.
During the above-described operation, if a user pushes a still button in the key input section 105 to view the image of a certain scene displayed on the CRT screen, the microcomputer 106 discriminates the still mode by checking the output signal from the key input section 105, and outputs the control signal Ca to the switch 101. Accordingly, the switch 101 connects the output terminal of the video memory 104 to the input terminal of the video processing section 102.
The microcomputer 106 also outputs the control signal Cm to the video memory 104, so that the video signal Vm stored in the video memory 104 is sequentially outputted to the video processing section 102.
As a consequence, the video processing section 102 processes the video signal Vm from the video memory 104, and displays the processed video signal as a still image on the screen of the CRT 103.
If the user selects a still release key in the key input section 105, the switch 101 connects the video input terminal 109 to the video processing section 102 according to the control signal Cs from the mcirocomputer 106. The video memory 104 is in a write mode for storing therein the video signal Vp from the video input terminal 109 according to the control signal Cm from the microcomputer 106.
As a result, the normal mode is resumed to display the image on the screen of the CRT 103, and the audio signal corresponding to the displayed image is outputted to the loudspeaker 108.
However, such a conventional art has a problem that the image data of the current scene may be lost if the still mode function is released or another still image is displayed on the screen. Further, since the still image is displayed by the viewer's key manipulation, the viewer may feel bored if no video signal is transmitted from the TV broadcasting station, or if the channel or the input terminal is changed.